Weitz & Luxenberg addresses young people with hip replacements

Weitz and Luxenberg  is committed to keeping the public abreast of hip replacement procedures, and the potential complications that can arise when these procedures are not executed properly. We update our pages frequently with the latest available information, and are available whenever you need us. If you have any questions about topics related to hip replacement surgery, or defective hip implants (such as the now recalled DePuy hip systems) please contact Weitz and Luxenberg.

Hip condition necessitates surgery for young athlete

Jason was a talented college baseball player. One day, when he swung his bat, he heard a loud “POP” come from his right hip. At first he thought it was a figment of his imagination, but then shortly following the pop, he experience a burning sensation in his groin muscle, which escalated into significant pain. A trip to the doctor confirmed that Jason had a known as hip dysplasia, a disease that involves the deformation or misalignment of the hip joint. An X-ray confirmed that Jason’s right femoral head was out of sync with the hip socket, causing it to move around more freely than normal.  Only surgery could correct the problem.

“I’m 19!” Jason cried. “Isn’t hip surgery for old people?”

Hip surgery: Not just for seniors

Jason’s misconception regarding the ages of hip replacement surgery patients is a common one. Though they are in the minority, younger people can also be candidates for hip surgery, especially if they have a preexisting condition affecting their joints, or if they partake in rigorous physical activity that results in pelvic injury. 

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, there are approximately 375,000 Americans who undergo hip replacement surgery each year, most of whom are older adults, due to increased loss of bone density and damaged cartilage. From “1996 to 2006, the number of hip replacement surgeries performed nationally increased by 30 percent, partial hip replacements increased by 60 percent, and the number of surgeries performed on those aged 65 and older was more than three times that of their younger counterparts.” (CDC)

The reasons for hip surgery

• A person may be considered for hip surgery if they are suffering from debilitating hip pain that cannot be remedied by rest or anti-inflammatory medications

• Pressure is placed on our bones and joints daily, but obesity exacerbates the pressure on the hip and knee joints. According to Joseph C. McCarthy a clinical professor or Orthopedic surgery at Tufts University: “when a 200 pounds man walks, he puts about 600 pounds of force across his hip joint with each step, and the cartilage in the hip joint employed to withstand that much force is only three or four millimeters thick on the ball and on the socket.”  (The Saturday Evening Post)However, even after receiving a hip implant, a large patient, even if they have lost some weight, might encounter complications due to all the years of strain on their joints.

• Hip surgery may be necessary if a person suffers from any disease of the bones, joints or cartilage such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis etc.

• Although there are countless benefits to exercise, those that engage in physically demanding activities on a daily basis can damage or tear their cartilage. Many professional athletes have had to undergo hip surgery, including Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, who was hospitalized after tearing his labrum, “the cartilage that runs along the rim of the hip socket.”  (The New York Times)

Hip surgery improves the lives of siblings suffering from hip related problems

Justine and Michael were siblings who shared many of the same hobbies, including a love of physical exercise. However, ever since they were children, they suffered from severe hip pain, which their doctors dismissed as “growing pains”, and “muscle spasms.”

When their pain became intolerable, Justine and Michael were taken to the doctor, who diagnosed them with femoro- acteabular impingement, a genetic disorder that compromises normal hip motion.

The siblings were taken to different rooms to undergo surgery. On Justine, the doctor performed an osteotomy, (the surgical reshaping of the femur bone), because her femoral head did not sit properly in her hip socket.  Meanwhile, Michael underwent surgery to correct the bony bump on the head of his femur, which made it difficult for the bone to move freely within the socket. Fortunately, both surgeries went well, and Justine and Michael were shortly able to return to their beloved physical activities.

If you would like to learn more about the differences between the male and female pelvis, please see our Male Vs. Female Pelvis page.

If you have had hip replacement surgery, and have endured physical, emotional and financial suffering as a result, please contact Weitz and Luxenberg for more information.

Acknowledgments:

The Saturday Evening Post: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2005/11/01/lifestyle/features/joint-hip-replacement.html

Center for Disease Control and Prevention:

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20101203/CDC-Hip-replacement-surgical-procedures-are-more-prevalent-in-the-US.aspx

The Hospital For Special Surgery: http://www.hss.edu/surgery-corrects-hip-dysplasia-hip-impingement.asp

The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/sports/01hips.html

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